Happy Birthday, Persephone
by VioletWilson
Summary: Tomorrow is Persephone's birthday, and even thought she asks for a present, all she really wants is Hades. A lonely evening becomes a sweet reunion in the Underworld. Jealousy, love, and the promise of tomorrow all flourish in the firelight.


"Hades..." her voice was tentative as she poked her head through the door, seeking entrance.

Hades looked up from his favorite chair, the book he was engrossed in still propped up on his knee. Of all the people in the Underworld, Persephone was the only one allowed to disturb him while reading. But it was late, and he was surprised to see her up.

"Ah, hello Persephone," he said, smiling, "Come in and sit with me."

She trotted in and sat down in her favorite chair, the one he kept close to the fire because she was always cold. Hades was tired from hours of paperwork, and he'd missed her these last few days. Underworld business, dull though it may have been, was a Zeus-ordered mandate, and there was no shirking the job. There were many nights when he didn't sleep at all, and he knew it distressed Persephone to be left alone so often in these lofty chambers.

"Will you sit with me?" he asked, and she beamed at him, relieved. With her light gait, she crossed the distance between them and sat down cozily on his lap, snuggling between Hades and his book. They fit together nicely, his large form enveloping her so that she sat deliciously on his center, her shimmery body relaxed and soft on top of him.

Like a rabbit in the care of a lion, the two sat in comfortable silence as Hades turned back to his reading, the sweetness of reunion in the air.

Perhaps because she had few companions as a child, Persephone was never one to ruin a thoughtful silence with incessant chatter. Hades was a stolid man. He hated small talk, and she knew it.

After half an hour or so of that connection, of feeling each other breathe and savoring the simple pleasure of being warmed by their partner's heat, Persephone gradually began to fidget. He sensed the change in mood and set his book down.

His wife slid away from him slightly, turning so she could look him in the eyes.

"I have a request." She said, breathlessly.

He raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

"It's my birthday tomorrow, you know,"

He did.

"and I was just thinking I'd like a special gift this year." The words came out in a tumbling rush. She was nervous, but he couldn't imagine why. He gazed on her steadily, waiting for her to out and say whatever was on her mind and trying to focus on what she was saying, not the distractingly tempting dress she wore.

After a minute of pinching her thumbs, she sighed, "Alright, I'll just tell you. But promise not to overreact?" Her eyes were huge and imploring in the low light. It was amazing how much emotion she could put in her eyes. More than any other woman, certainly, and they were so deep and soft...

Snapping himself out of his sickeningly sentimental reverie, he rasped, "I don't make promises, Persephone."

She frowned and fidgeted some more, toying with the silver pendant around her neck with his name on the back. Finally she seemed to come to a decision, and her words came out in a nervous blur.

"I want Hermes to visit me. Just for a day or two, so we can catch up." She turned away from him slightly, afraid of his reaction. Hades said nothing, but he could feel his expression darkening as he controlled himself.

"Don't look so angry, you know we're just friends, and I miss him so much!" she pleaded, touching his arm, "He was my only companion when I was growing up. I don't know why you hate him, but he's always been a good friend to me, and I want you to give him a chance."

She exhaled loudly, done reciting her practiced speech. Eyeing him warily, she fidgeted again, but said nothing as she watched for a reaction. For his part, he kept very still, trying to give nothing of his true feelings away.

"You want _that boy_ for your birthday?" His voice was acrid. "You do know that I am the Lord of the Underworld, right? I could get you literally anything, anything, but you ask for the one thing that I refuse to give you."

Her face fell like breaking glass. "You won't? Why not!" she cried, pulling the hand from his shoulder and cradling it to her chest. It felt like a little patch of ice on his arm where her hand had been.

He gritted his teeth. "I've read that boy's heart, Seph, and I can't allow him to come-"

She turned to face him directly, indignant and petulant. "Is it because he's a messenger God? Because you know Zeus didn't give him a choice!"

Hades had to stop for a minute, lost. "What? No, that's not why I don't like him."

She didn't hesitate, "Then why? Is it because he created fire?" Her accusatory tone was almost comical.

"Seph," he said expressionlessly, "I like fire just fine."

She frowned, as confused as he was. "Oh. Well then I don't know what your problem is."

He hated the way she was crossing her arms, looking at him with a mixture of frustration and powerful disappointment. He knew that she'd been lacking companionship down here, but Hades realized her loneliness must be affecting her much more deeply than he suspected if she was asking him for a favor like _that. _And yet he knew there was no way in hell that Hermes would come to the Underworld.

"Persephone, imagine that you're me for a moment."

"Do I have to? You're old." she said flatly, the ghost of a smile skirting the edge of her face.

"Very funny." he said, fighting the urge to reach out and touch her. "Imagine a young, sexually promiscuous young man is constantly hounding you for entrance to the palace to see the queen, your _beautiful_ wife." he trailed his hand against her face for effect. She shivered, and her voice was shaking slightly when she spoke.

"Just because Hermes likes to sleep around doesn't make him a bad person."

_Oh Zeus, she was so cute._

Hades shook his head patiently. "You don't understand."

"Clearly." Impossibly, she crossed her arms even tighter.

"Persephone. He has designs on you. He wants you."

"But I'm not interested in him. I'd say no." she scoffed, as if his words were just trifles. Hades felt his temper slipping through. All this talk about that damned boy was upsetting him.

"It wouldn't matter!" he growled, meaning it. "A man like that has no boundaries!"

There was a silence as she absorbed that, but he could tell he wasn't getting through to her. She didn't believe him.

"Demeter... she sheltered you, and although we have our differences, I thank the Gods every day that she kept you from the passions of men. You're so still innocent." When he reached out to touch her face this time, it was a tender, gentle movement, and he let his hand rest there for a moment as she closed her eyes and nuzzled against him like a cat.

"All I want is you." she murmured, eyes closed. Her words washed over him like warm water, and he felt such a stirring of tenderness in his chest that all he wanted to do was give in, to let her have whatever she wanted.

His voice adopted the soft, gentle tone that he reserved exclusively for Persephone. "I know that. But he won't care what you want, Persephone. He won't." he spoke as mildly as he could, pulling his hand away before he went and upset her again. "I can't let you be around him. My answer is no."

His tone was final, and Persephone's eyes flashed.

"What are you so afraid of? I'm not helpless. I'm not naïve." she sighed and rose to her feet, pacing in her irritation. Hades said nothing. She continued, "And it's not like he would try anything, I'm married. Plus, I have my own powers. I'm strong enough."

Hades looked at her, and his expression darkened. Persephone could see the edge of an idea in his expression, and a cunning, plotting look in his eyes. Something had changed.

Rising, he stood to his full height, towering above her in all his glory. The lustful look in his eyes, the wide, powerful set of his body and the way he seemed charged with energy had transformed him. She barely recognized him.

He was making a sound in the back of his throat like a growl. Persephone took a step back.

Hades crossed the distance between them in one stride and gathered her up, pushing her back and up against the stone walls of the library. All the breath fled from her body as he lowered his great head to her neck, kissing it roughly.

"How do you feel now, Persephone?" he murmured, pushing her against the wall with so much force that she was almost completely immobilized. Heat was pooling in the pit of her stomach, a mixture of fear and excitement. She didn't believe he would hurt her, but she barely recognized this feral version of the man she shared a bed with. What was going on?

He moved up her neck to her cheek, his voice low and husky against her ear. "Do you feel strong now?"

In response, she tried to fight her way free, but he grabbed her wrists in one hand, his other wrapping firmly around her waist. She kicked, but he just slid her body down the wall, her back scraping on the stone and loosening the straps of her dress so that they slid down her shoulders onto her upper arms.

Slipping her effortlessly sideways, he crawled on top of her, staring into her eyes. The light of the fire reflected in his gaze, and Persephone was filled with fear and longing.

His head moved down her neck, grazing its way to the top of her chest. His lips moved against the sensitive skin. He still had his hand on her wrists, and she felt like a pinned butterfly.

"Or do you feel," he paused, looking up at her and flashing a devilish grin, "helpless."

And he was kissing her, his body pinning her to the ground and his lips holding her fast. The carpet underneath was rough against her bare shoulders, but she was scarcely aware of it.

She wanted to run, and she wanted to get closer to him. Her legs wrapped around his body as she responded to the kiss, trying to fight back with the embrace, to show that she was equal to his force, that she understood the point he was trying to make. She struggled to get her wrists free, but he kept them pinned down, holding her in place.

"Mine," he growled against her lips.

Persephone could only gasp for breath. And then, as quickly as this mood had come over him, he pulled away from her, rising to sit on his knees. His expression was as intelligent and calculating as it always was, but perhaps with more sardonic amusement than usual.

Dizzy, Persephone propped herself up on her elbows, looking at him with furrowed brows.

"I wasn't done with you yet," she pouted, missing his warmth already. In her confusion, she'd forgotten to be mad at him.

Gently, he lifted her so that she sat up with her legs crossed, and tucked her hair behind her ears, every bit the respectful suitor. She couldn't fathom it.

His voice was quiet when he spoke. "That... I was _trying _to illustrate how defenseless you would be if someone ever decided to have their way with you, but you didn't seem to mind it, aggravatingly._"  
><em>"I like everything of that nature. As long as it's you," she added, thoughtfully.

"That's the point!" he said, his voice rising. "What if it _wasn't _me? What if it was..."

There was a silence.

"Hermes?" she concluded, understanding at once. He growled, avoiding her gaze.

"You're jealous? Of Hermes?" she had to suppress a laugh. "Whatever for? He's a total idiot! I'd never-"

His eyes snapped to hers, furious. Even though Hades was kneeling, he was still an impressive figure when anger flared in his eyes like that.

"_It wouldn't matter _what you say!" he shouted._ "_Hermes would force himself on you! You know _nothing _of men outside of me, and in your innocence you trust everyone, when you don't even realize that-" his words trailed off into another feral growl.

She reached out and touched his shoulder, wanting to be close to him but afraid when he was this angry. His hand gripped hers and he looked away from her, staring at the fire with murder in his eyes.

Still pressing her hand into his arm, he said, "And I would _never_ let that happen. Never."

The heat from the fire was making her head spin. She thought about the expression Hermes had in his eyes every so often, something she'd never understood. Always inclined to think the best of people, Persephone realized that she'd been too naïve to recognize lust when she saw it. With a flood of memories she recalled all the little brushes against her, all the seemingly absent minded times he'd touched her hands, grazed his fingers against her neck. It sent chills down her spine.

She understood now. Hades was trying to protect her from Hermes, to save her from pain.

Hades stared at the fire, unable to meet her wide and thoughtful eyes.

A haze of softness for her gentle brute of a husband consumed Persephone. All that fuss, all that drama, and he only wanted her safe. A reflective mood had settled down on the fire lit sitting room, the lightning passion fused into a hazy mist.

"It's just," she said, picking her words carefully in an attempt to be accurate. "I can't handle being alone so much. And when I asked for Hermes, what I think I really wanted was you. Just you."

His dark hair was so soft in the firelight as they sat there before the fire, isolated from the whole world. His dark, calloused hands reached out for hers, and she took them in her soft fingers.

"But it's hard to tell you that I miss you... when I know it's not your fault, when you've got so many things to worry about. Spring is coming soon, Hades, I can feel it, and I wanted you to..." her voice dropped off and she paused, as if embarrassed, "be...around."

She looked at him ruefully. "Kind of stupid, huh?"

That was enough for something in Hades to break. No one should ever make her feel like this, least of all him. He leaned over and kissed her softly, gently. It was an apology and a greeting.

"I'm sorry," he whispered into her hair, pulling her close. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

She looked up at him and said simply, "I love you. All I want is you."

Cradling her against him, the clock struck midnight.

"Happy birthday," he whispered.

xxx

_There's no way around it: I love these two. Can't seem to get away from them. _

_If you enjoyed this story, I have other H/P one-shots on my profile. And don't be that kid who favorites a story without leaving a review. _

_And...I love you._

_-Violet_

_ps. I listened to "My Love" by Sia while writing this._


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